


Grounded.

by Confused_Foam



Series: Haikyuu Halloweek 2018 [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Broken Bones, But Not Described At All Nudity, Cuddling, Friendship, Gen, Haikyuu Halloweek 2018, Hair Brushing, Hurt/Comfort, Let's Call it Brushing I Guess, Nudity, Only Sort of Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-08 06:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16424150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Confused_Foam/pseuds/Confused_Foam
Summary: If you asked Shouyou, the pain of breaking his arm was nothing compared to the agony of sitting as watching from a park bench as his flock flies about. They are fluttering around the trees and soaring over head. Shouyou is awkwardly trying to draw in the dirt left handed. It’s totally unfair.vampires/werewolves/SHAPESHIFTERS





	Grounded.

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be Day 3 of Haikyuu Halloweek, going up a day late be life happens and I had way to many things I had to do yesterday. Whoops. 
> 
> This isn't my favorite piece this week, but I did have fun writing the team/family love. I hope you like it!

If you asked Shouyou, the pain of breaking his arm was nothing compared to the agony of sitting as watching from a park bench as his flock flies about. They are fluttering around the trees and soaring over head. Shouyou is awkwardly trying to draw in the dirt left handed. It’s totally unfair. He doesn’t understand why he can’t join in. Well. He does. Takeda-sensei, his mom, Daichi-san, and way to freaking many other people have told him like a million times. And he’s only been in the cast for a week. A broken arm sucks for a human but can be life threatening for a bird. So. He understands. That doesn’t make it less dumb. 

It’s dumb that he has to sit and watch everyone having a good time. It’s breezy and sunny and just the perfect weather for flying. Technically, he didn’t have to come watch. But not knowing what they were doing at all, just sitting at home feeling all itchy and achy and gross, sounded way worse that coming to hang out and watch. Maybe he was wrong. This sucks pretty bad. He snaps the stick he was doodling with between his foot and good arm. It doesn’t help him to feel better. 

“I’m gonna head home.” Shouyou yells to the birds in the trees. Watching them just makes him itchier. He’s better off just going home and working on his homework. Eck. Maybe he’ll call Kenma instead. He struggles to get his backpack on and heads out, hurrying to leave before anyone can shift back. He doesn’t really feel like being reminded that this is for his own good. Again.

He probably should have known better than to hope for a quiet exit. He doesn’t make it more than a block and a half before he notices a bird flying over head. When he stops to stare up at them, they swoop down and land carefully on his good shoulder. He’s sort of surprised to see its Ennoshita-san. Not exactly who he expected to chase him down. Maybe Daichi-san asked him to make sure that Shouyou didn’t run off and shift anyway. It's sort of embarrassing if that’s the case. 

Ennoshita-san tugs at Shouyou’s hood, and then takes off down an alley. Sure another talking to is waiting for him, Shouyou shuffles his feet as he follows. By the time he gets there Ennoshita-san is standing, fully human, waiting for him. “Yes Ennoshita-san?” He feels a little nervous, though he’s not sure why. But then, Ennoshita-san looks a little nervous too. He’s not sure if that makes him feel better or worse. They don’t usually take that much. 

“You know. I broke my wrist a couple of years ago.” Shouyou tilts his head just a bit, not quite connecting the dots on what Ennoshita-san is getting out. Patiently, he continues. “It’s really hard not to shift for this long, right? It doesn’t feel good?” Oh. So it actually was going to be another talk about how they are only trying to look out for him. He can’t help but frown. But he had no idea that another member of the flock had actually gone through something like this before. 

“It’s all itchy and gross. Like…” He takes a minute trying to find the right word, flapping his hands about.

“Like unclean feathers?” Ennoshita-san offers.

“Yeah! Like my feathers are dirty!” The itching is like he hasn’t preened in weeks, even when he doesn’t actually have any feathers at the moment. But that’s not the only discomfort he’s dealing with on top of his arm itself. “My shoulders are all achy too.” 

Ennoshita-san rolls his shoulders sympathetically. “Like you haven’t flown in awhile, so everything is getting all stiff.” Shouyou nods enthusiastically, Ennoshita-san hit the nail on the head. “Why don’t we see who wants to go find a bathhouse? We’ll have to bag your arm up pretty tight, but hot water always helped me.” He gestured vaguely back towards the flock.

Shouyou agrees almost as soon as the words are out of Ennoshita-san’s mouth. He has some of the best ideas. “That sounds like fun!” He exclaims, and takes off to the flock. Ennoshita-san shifts back and beats him there, but he doesn't mind very much. It just means that a lot of the flock is flying behind the shed they stashed their clothes against to shift back. 

Almost all of the flock agrees to go, except for Kiokyo-san and Yachi-san who wouldn’t be able to join them anyway. The rest of them troop down the street to a bathhouse that is practically empty at this time of day. It’s probably for the best, given the ruckus they tend to cause wherever they go.

Ennoshita-san helps Shouyou bag up his cast, and then they all wash off and get into the bath. Peacefully soaking only lasts as long as it takes for Tanaka-san and Nishinoya-san get it. Playing around with them helps things feel a little more normal,even if they are a bit less feathery than normal, and his arm is stuck in a stupid cast in and even stupider bag. Ennoshita-san was right too, the hot water helps with the achy feeling in his shoulders. 

It doesn’t help much with the intenses need to preen. Soaking and showering only feel like surface cleaning. Goofing off is distracting enough until Daichi-san yells at them to calm down. Then Shouyou just tries to ignore it while somewhat quietly bothering Kageyama. But it’s hard when he’s so itchy. He’s so focused on trying to focus on Kageyama and not wanting to scratch every inch of himself that he doesn’t notice Ennoshita-san floating up behind him until there is a hand on his shoulder and a voice saying “Still itchy?”

Shouyou has no idea how he knew. Maybe experience, or maybe he is more fidgety than he realized. Either way he can’t help the little bit of whine in his tone as he replies, “Yeeeesss. It helps a little but its not the same as preening. I want to scratch my arms off.”

“Mind if I try something? I’ll have to touch you” Ennoshita-san sounds a little bit awkward, but Shouyou is too excited by the prospect of anything helping to say no for his sake. When Ennoshita-san’s fingers find their way into his hair he turns a little pink, and all of the sudden the conversation is only between Kageyama and Ennoshita-san because Shouyou has totally melted. 

It’s not like the friendly big-brother kind of hair ruffles he sometimes gets. Ennoshita-san is obviously being very careful in his movements. He tugs at small tufts and lightly scratches and taps his nails against his scalp. It’s not totally the same, but it feels a whole like preening his own feathers. All Shouyou can do is lean into the touch and hum happily. 

He only half hears Nishinoya-san come over and ask what’s going on. Ennoshita-san explaining doesn’t process until there is a second set of fingers in his hair. When Kageyama reaches out to hesitantly tug at the front pieces Ennoshita-san shows him the careful movements, and then lets the two of them take over. 

Shouyou is a puddle. 

The feeling of different hands coming and going lulls him into almost sleep. Eventually Daichi-san wakes him up with a shoulder shake. “Hinata. It’s time to head home.” Shouyou blinks up at him sleepily, and then slowly around the room. Everyone else is already drying off or gone. “Come on. I’ll drive you home.” 

“Daichi-san...Do you think we can come back soon?”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are food for the soul, in case you hadn't heard.
> 
> Please let me know of any glaring mistakes, this was edited super minimally.
> 
> Today's actual prompts are Horror Movies/Superheros/Costumes, and that one should be up not too long after this is so keep an eye out. Head over at check out ever one else's work for this super fun week on twitter at @hqhalloweek or I think they have a tumblr page of similar name.
> 
> You can find me on twitter @confused_foam


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